Mayoral race hits hopeful’s finances

LORAIN — The rigors of holding public office and campaigning for mayor collided to put Councilman Tony Krasienko behind in his bills, Krasienko said Tuesday.

Krasienko

Wells Fargo Bank, which owns the mortgage on Krasienko’s West 25th Street home, filed a foreclosure complaint with the county Common Pleas Court Monday to collect $2,500 the at-large councilman owed since April.

Krasienko said he just got behind on payments but mailed a check Tuesday for the complete amount. He owes a total of $50,613.21 on the house, which he bought in 1994 for about $65,000.

“I’m all square with the mortgage company,” he said. “I just got caught up with all my bills.”

The Democratic mayoral candidate said his money troubles stem from the fact that he hasn’t received a 40-hour paycheck since February from Sibley Inc., an Elyria construction company where he works as a project manager and estimator.

“To be totally honest, I’m hourly, and when I leave work to go on city business, I don’t get paid for that,” he said.

It’s due in part to his campaign to become mayor, he said, but also because of meetings that have become especially frequent with the restructuring of the former Ford Assembly Plant and other job-growth programs.

“It’s become increasingly demanding,” he said.

Even so, Krasienko said it was the first time he got behind, and he doesn’t expect to again.

“When the mortgage company sends you a letter, call them back,” he said. “They’re not messing around anymore.”